Walking Contradiction
by xamandaishotx
Summary: She's made a few mistakes in her life, but is Craig the right person to save her? Please READ AND REVIEW!
1. The Right Kind Of Wrong

A/N: You ask me why I started this story when I haven't even finished Celebrity Skin. I was sitting on my couch when I realized what an awesome story idea this was. It was totally unexpected. An epiphany, so I decided to start this one. I'll finish Celebrity Skin and then finish that one-shot. Also, read Self Evident, the third part to Body Language. Oh, and this chapter is a prologue, so it's in sucky third-person writing. Pardon the crapness of the writing. – Amanda

Chapter 1- The Right Kind Of Wrong

Shannon kissed the guy next to her, then the guy in front of her, and the guy to the left of her. "This is the best party ever!" she yells over the music to the guy next to her.

"It's only great because you're here." He smiles at her and she grins.

_God I'm drunk. This party is kick ass_, she thinks as she kisses the guy again.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" The guy asks her, leading her upstairs.

"Shannon." Shannon yawns and when she yawns, her black tank top rides up, showing her belly button ring.

"Shannon? I'm Jay." Jay and her go into an empty bedroom where they start to make out on the bed.

"Spinner? Dude, have you seen Spinner around anywhere?" Downstairs, Craig Manning looks around for his best friend. He asks Jimmy, who he was on the couch next to. Jimmy shrugs his shoulders and goes back to kissing his girlfriend. Craig rolls his eyes at the two of them and walks upstairs and knocks on every door.

"Jay. Jay, stop. Jay, I don't want to-" Jay continues to kiss Shannon, ignoring her pleas.

"It's okay honey. I can keep a secret." Jay whispers to her.

"But-" He shushes her.

"It doesn't matter if I have a girlfriend or not, does it?" Shannon looks at the door pleadingly, praying that someone would come.

"Spinner?" Craig calls down the hallway. He passes another room, where he hears a girl saying no repeatedly. _I wonder what that is_, Craig thinks as he opens the door to see a tall girl in a short skirt looking shocked to see him there, fear in her eyes.

"Man, what do you think you're doing?" Craig grabs the guy off of her and pushes him onto the floor. Jay gets up and brushes himself off.

"Craig, just because I'm getting a girl that you haven't had, is no reason to get jealous. Shannon and I were having fun, weren't we?" the girl curls up, her eyes widening.

"Get out." Craig pushes Jay out the door and goes over to the girl. "Are you okay?"

Shannon looks at him and sits up. "I'm fine. I just… need to get home."

"I've never seen you around before," Craig watches her as she stands up and adjusts herself. "Are you new?"

"Yeah. And I can fight my own battles. I don't need superheroes coming to my rescue." Shannon smirks and walks out of the room.


	2. Bohemian Like You

A/N: Okay, here's the deal. I decided that this story has to be in double point of view, because it won't make sense otherwise. AND GO READ SELF EVIDENT OR I WILL CRY.

Chapter 2- Bohemian like You

I couldn't stop thinking about him. His dark eyes, his dark hair. I walk through the hallways of Degrassi thinking about him. _Boys aren't supposed to make an impact on you, Shannon. You've got to focus. Get the job done, _I think. I go to my homeroom and sit down in the first empty seat I see. The girl next to me looks me up and down and then whispers to the African-American girl next to her. She turns to me again and says, "Are you new?" I nod slightly and pull down my skirt.

"I'm Shannon." I say to her.

"I don't think I asked you for your name. I'm Paige and this is Hazel. And the way you're dressed, it looks as if you'll fit in just fine with _them._"Paige points across the room to a dark haired girl and a red-haired girl, both of whom which looked as if Hot Topic had exploded on them. I don't understand what she means, I'm wearing a red t-shirt that says, 'Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend' in white. "Paige glares at me. "Go." I move across the room to the two girls and sit next to the red-haired one.

"I'm guessing they either sent you over here because you either said something that offended them, or they didn't like what you were wearing." The red-haired girl said, not looking up from her paper, which had an elaborate drawing of a guy on it. "His name's Sean and he's my boyfriend." She continues. "I'm Ellie."

"Shannon."

"I'm Ashley." The dark-haired one said to me. "So Miss Shannon, where'd you move here from?"

"Montreal. The city of all cities." I look down at the table and notice people can totally see down my shirt.

"Montreal? I love Montreal." Ashley says as a guy comes over to our table and squats down. I don't look at him, but keep looking at the table.

I thought about that girl- Shannon? Shayna? - All weekend. I couldn't get her out of my head. I walk through the hallways of Degrassi thinking about her. I lean next to Marco's locker and smirk at him.

"What's her name?" he says, not even looking at me.

"Shannon. I think. Or Shayna. Either one."

"What's she like?"

"I don't know. I didn't really get to talk to her. But she's tall, and gorgeous."

"What's your homeroom?" Marco says, completely changing the subject.

"What does that have to do with anything? Kwan."

"Get to it. Dylan's coming." Marco smiles past me and I look at where he's staring and see Dylan coming. I take that as my cue to leave.

As I walk into Mrs. Kwan's classroom, I notice Ashley and Ellie talking to a new girl. I saunter over there, and squat down in front of their table. "Hey Ashley."

"Hi Craig. How was your summer?"

"Okay, nothing special." _Except for that girl_, I think.

"Oh really?" Ashley raises an eyebrow at me.

"Nothing special. How was your summer?"

"Great. El and I hung out a lot, and then there's…" Her voice trails off.

"She met a guy. Who's not you." Ellie said, rolling her eyes.

That took me by surprise. Ashley's dating another guy? How is that possible? "What's his name?"

"His name's Marshall. And he's adorable and sweet and a really great kisser." Ashley swoons.

"Oh…Wow." I say, surprised. The girl next to them looks up and turns to Ellie and whispers something. She then turns toward me and her eyes widen.

"Shannon?" I whisper, trying to get to talk to me. She bites her lip and doesn't say a word. "I'm Craig." I take my hand out shake hands with her and she just stares at it.

"Looks as if she doesn't want to talk to you." Ellie says to me with taunting eyes.

"Whatever." I say, taking a seat next to Shannon. Who ever this girl was, she was appealing in a way I had never seen before.

_You are such an idiot,_ I think to myself as I go to Media Immersion. _He's just a guy! Don't treat him like he's a god or something. You acted like a mime in there. No wordsNo feelings, right? Right. You're always right._ I take a seat in the classroom and pull out my notebook and write, **'Look at yourself. Take a good look at yourself. You have such a pretty face. What a great personality you have. You'd be so pretty if you were thin. Thinner. Thinnest. Behind everything beautiful is some kind of pain.' **Craig takes a seat next to me.

"Are you okay?" He says, shocking me.

"Yeah. Let me introduce my self again I'm-" I was interrupted by someone tapping me on my shoulder.

"Shannon?" I turn around to see Jay and try to turn back around but his voice stops me. "Please. Don't. I'm sorry for the way I treated you on Saturday, it wasn't me. I just got into what I was doing, and I wasn't thinking. I'm so sorry."

He didn't seem sincere. "But what about your girlfriend?" I say, mockingly.

"We broke up. She cheated on me." I see his sincerity. "So can we start over?" he says, pleadingly.

"I guess so." I say, settling. He smiles at me and walks to another computer.

"So you're just going to forgive him."

"I'm a very forgiving person."

Craig sneaks a glance at my open notebook and whispers to me, "I like you just as you are."

What do you say to that?


	3. Rumors

Chapter 3- Rumors.

"Jay? As in Jay Hogart, the guy who practically raped you at a party, Shannon? You're gonna go out with HIM?" I try to ignore the hint of jealousy in my voice.

"Calm down, Craig. You're, like, screaming."

"Yes! Please join me!"

"I don't ignore a date offer, Craig."

"You did when it was me." Shannon blushes.

"Only because you're not my type, darling." She pats me on the back and smiles. I turn back toward the computer and pout. "Don't pout at me like that Craig Manning. I'm not gonna break this date with Jay just because you want me to. There must be something more to him than you're seeing." She coughed slightly. "Plus, this isn't the movies. I don't date my heroes." She looks at me, and I can tell how excited she is.

As I walk down the hallway to get to my locker after class, I pass by Jay, who's talking with Sean Cameron and the rest of the Montreal Crew. "And I asked this chick Shannon out, but now that there's the party going on, I'm not gonna go out with her." I pause and lean against Paige's locker, which is right by Jay's to listen in on their conversation.

"So what are you gonna do?" Sean asks.

"Not show up. Obviously, man." _Oh shit._

That Friday I sit in front of my mirror, playing with my hair. I pick up my brush and slowly start to brush it, pulling each piece straight. My cell phone starts to vibrate, and I pick it up.

"Shannon?" It's Craig.

"Craig, if you're calling to persuade me not to go, You're too late." I look out the window and see a car. "He's already here."

"That's me."

"What? No it's not." I see Craig get out of the car and wave toward the window of the loft. "Why are you here?"

"Jay, he's not coming." I buzz him in. I hear him clomp up the stairs and walk into my bedroom. I hang up my phone.

"Where is he then?"

"…Babysitting. He's babysitting."

"Oh. Babysitting? Wow." I sit down on my bed. Craig picks up my guitar and inspects it.

"Do you play?"

"No. No, I got it a few years ago and never really picked it up, you know?"

"Oh." He plays a few chords and starts to sing. "I give her all my love

That's all I do

And if you saw my love

You'd love her too

I love her

She gives me everything

And tenderly

The kiss my lover brings

She brings to me

And I love her

A love like ours

Could never die

As long as I

Have you near me

Bright are the stars that shine

Dark is the sky

I know this love of mine

will never die

And I love her

Bright are the stars that shine

Dark is the sky

I know this love of mine

will never die

And I love her, ooh"

I look at him and say, "Oh…I can't believe it. I'm in love. I'm in love with a young, handsome, talented poet."

I stared at her. "Wow." The doorbell rings and she gets up to buzz the person in.

"It's probably my dad." She leaves her room for a second and comes back in and leans agains the door. "It's Jay." She leaves again and yells something I can't understand. She then comes back in, and pushes me into her closet. I hear him walk into her room, and he voice tone changes. It becomes lighter, sweeter.

"No!" I open the closet a little bit. She starts reciting what she remembers from the poem. "I give him all my love that's all I do And if you saw my love You'd love him too I love him." She looks at me and widens her eyes. I lip to her, "She gives me everything And tenderly The kiss my lover brings She brings to me And I love her." She says it, changing the words. She hugs him, and point to me to go out the door. "A love like ours

Could never die

As long as I

Have you near me." She sings, looking past him at me.

"That's amazing." Jay says to her.

"It was written by a friend of mine. I finally understood the true meaning of those words. A love like ours could never die as long as I have you near me."

"And what is that?" I open the door and see her dad there as slam it closed. Shannon throws herself on the bed and pretends to sob while I try and find a place to hide. "No!Jay! Don't you toy with my emotions! You…you must know the effect you have on women… Let's make love! You want to make love, don't you!?" She waves me to the other side of the room. I go but stop as I stare at the two of them. "Oh, I knew you felt the same way!" "Get out of here or he'll kill you!" She whispers furiously to me. I don't move. "No, you're right. We should wait. Until we know each other… a little bit better." I nod, satisfied and then hide in the closet again.

"What? Wait?" Jay says, confused. Shannon stands up with him."There's a power in you that scares me. You should go." She walks him over to the door.

"I just got here."

"Oh, yes, but…we'll see each other every day during school. We must wait! We must wait. Get out." She opens the door and pushes him out. I slowly come out of the closet. She turns around and stalks over to me. "Do you have any idea…any idea what would have happened if you were found!?" She suddenly turns pale and faints into my arms.

"Oh my g- Shannon?" I shake her lightly. I look around awkwardly. "I'll put you in bed." I lift her over to the bed, and climb on top of her to put her in a comfortable position. Jay walks back in.

"I forgot my ha- What is this?" I widen my eyes as Shannon wakes up.

"Oh, Jay."

"He gives me everything And tenderly the kiss my lover brings he brings to me." Jay says snidely.

I shake my head. "No…"

"Beautifully spoken Jay. Let me introduce you, the writer."

"Craig Manning wrote that?"

She nods and pushes me off of him. "You see, Craig came over to help me with my English homework."

Jay laughs rudely and says, "You expect me to believe that, in the arms of another man, you were doing English homework?"

"Duh… why else would Craig be here?" Shannon says, proving her point.


	4. Light Of Some Kind

Chapter 4- Light Of Some Kind

I watch her from my parked car across the street. She's sitting in her front yard, talking to herself. I get out of my car and walk up behind her. She doesn't notice me. She's not talking to her self, she's singing lightly. "I'm just a girl

That doesn't like the thought of being alone

I need to be loved and held real close

I'm the kind of girl

That needs to be caressed and kissed so soft, yeah

There's no better way to turn me on

I need a man who

Who's gonna treat me right

I need a man who'll be with me every night

So I've gotta

Find me a man

With sensitive eyes

One who understands

Love is stronger than pride

So I gotta

Find me a man

A sensitive mind

Not just any man

One of a kind

I'm just a girl

That likes a man that knows his right from wrong

One that will keep his loving at home

I'm the kind of girl

Who likes to please her man the whole night long, ooh

But he's gotta please me just as long

I want a man who

Who's gonna treat me right

I need a man who's gonna be with me every night

So I gotta

I know what I'm looking for, and I know

He's gotta be wonderful, 'cause I know

I am to beautiful, to settle for nothing less, ooh

I know what I'm searching for, yes I know

It's someone incredible, don't you know

That I won't give up until I've found the perfect man

So I gotta

I gotta find me

Gotta find me a guy

So I gotta find me, find me

Find me a man

Not just any man

One of a kind."

"Sorry." She cries out, stands up, and turns around. "Sorry. I didn't mean… I was across the street and…"

"What?"

"I was coming over to visit, to ask you about the- the science homework. But then I figured it out and came over anyway."

"Oh. Of course. Yes. That's good. Well, anyway, I'd better go, because we…uh, we both have school tomorrow."

"Wait! No, please, wait…" She turns back to me, frustrated. "Before, when we were…when we were… you said that you loved me. An-and I wondered if…if—"

"If it was just an act?"

"Yes."

"Of course."

"Oh…it just felt…real."

She walks toward me. "Craig? I'm a flirt. I make men believe what they want to believe."

"Yes… Silly of me to think that you could…fall in love with someone like me."

"I can't fall in love with anyone."

"Why not?"

"I've seen love, Craig. I've seen what it does to people."

"It's the most wonderful thing in the world, Shannon."

"It's the most painful thing in the world, Craig. I mean, love makes people do stupid things.

"Like what?"

"Get pregnant. Run away. Kill themselves."

"Get married. Kiss. Have sex. There are two sides to love, Shannon."

"You- you will be mean." Shannon says, cracking.

"No I won't."

"And I'll- I'll sleep around." Shannon walks away from me.

"I know you don't want to commit to a relationship because of- because of Jay, we should be lovers."

"We can't do that." She says, not looking at me.

"We should be lovers, and that's a fact."

She turns around and looks at me. "Though nothing will keep us together."

"We can steal time just for one day." She stands close to me and whispers, "You're gonna be bad for my reputation, I can tell." And she kisses me.

… you can tell what happened next.


End file.
